Why even bother? This Ashes series was a total waste of time. Does England actually still have a cricket team?

__________________"Mediocrity is never so dangerous as when it is dressed up as sincerity." - Søren Kierkegaard

Ian McCulloch the U2 fan:
"Who buys U2 records anyway? It's just music for plumbers and bricklayers. Bono, what a slob. You'd think with all that climbing about he does, he'd look real fit and that. But he's real fat, y'know. Reminds me of a soddin' mountain goat."
"And as for Bono, he needs a colostomy bag for his mouth."

__________________“Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe.”
~Frank Zappa

Originally posted by Salome I guess another England Ashes 24 test losing streak had to start at some point

this Aussie summer sounds like a good starting point for me

__________________“Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe.”
~Frank Zappa

Bloody Hell!!! I've just seen some guy on skysports news, a William Hill rep, giving odds for the sport over the weekend, he's just said, "If you want to take out a bet as an investment for your grandkids, The Aussies are 500/1 to keep the Ashes for the rest of the CENTURY,"

Excuse my ignorance of the game compared to some people, but if that happens, I'll bloody well swim from here to Australia!!!

Originally posted by adrball the optimistic side of me predicts a 5-0 series defeat. Aussies are good enough without giving them extra motivation.

This wasn't a joke when I predicted it in another thread. The pessimistic side of me thought there would be enough few days to fit in a couple more tests.

But congrats to the Aussies. Clearly the better side (perhaps the only side actually playing) won.

I would have thought though that any team with any sort of quality would be been able to put up a decent fight in a list one of the matches and prevent the whitewash. The final day at Adelaide proved to me that we lack something mentally as well as with the bat and ball.

Well I think some of you are being particularly hard on England, and while I agree, they have some soul-searching to do before 2009, I do think they tried... if only a little. I have a couple of theories about the series...

From watching the Tests, and especially being at one live, the main difference I notice is with the fielding, especially in the outfield. Australia has worked hard in the past decade or more to prevent the opposition scoring runs wherever possible. They run like the wind after potential boundaries and often perform gymnastic-like feats to prevent that ball from crossing the rope. England, however, seem content to chase the ball to the boundary, almost conceding that it will be a boundary the moment the ball leaves the bat. I think this is both a fitness thing and a mental thing. Australia stubbornly pursues the ball and rarely lets it defeat them.

I also think that Australia is stronger mentally in believing that they can turn a game around and win from a seemingly un-winnable position, as was seen in Adelaide. I know it's easier to be strong mentally when you are used to winning, but I think a key part in Australia's success is their self-belief - I would even call it arrogance - that they think they deserve to win and that they WILL win, no matter what. This dogged belief took Australia from behind in many games that I saw during Steve Waugh's captaincy and continues now into the "new generation". England needs sports psychology more than anything! It appears that they don't BELIEVE they can win and with even an iota of doubt in a game against Australia, you are lost at the beginning. Australia appears to sniff out any whiff of self-doubt and uses against the opposition. That, and perhaps a laziness about the game, was part of their downfall in Adelaide.

The true English winner in this series was the Barmy Army, who, as Ricky Ponting said, were a credit to their team and to their country/ies (including Wales) They are a joy to listen to at the games and provide welcome entertainment when the game loses momentum. (Yes, even us Aussies get bored at times, watching Australia do so well!)

It was emotional to see the three (four, counting Damian Martyn) players leave the game, but I'm excited for Australian cricket in the future: it'll be great to see some new young players rise up and become their own.

And personally, I wouldn't be putting any bets on Australia dominating for the rest of the Century... cricket is cyclical and there will be a time when Australia loses strength. Just look at the West Indies from the 70's and 80's... I thought I'd never see them lose to Australia. Our time to step down will come, there's no doubting that. England just needs time. And perhaps, Michael Vaughn

Now I can go read the Survivor thread seeing as the final aired here on TV last night! Ciao.

Originally posted by shika Well I think some of you are being particularly hard on England, and while I agree, they have some soul-searching to do before 2009, I do think they tried... if only a little. I have a couple of theories about the series...

is it possible to be too hard on the first whitewash since 85 years? lol

I agree with all your reasons, but when you look not only at the fact that they lost all 5 tests but also at the scoreline of those tests (except the second test) than England was pulverized in a way that can't even be explained by the difference in quality and every other good reason why England would always have lost this Ashes contest: they really let themselves down, showed no signs of wanting to fight and if I were and English cricket supporter and had bought tickets to see them play in Aus I would be less than impressed to say the least

I think the England team probably is still the second best in the worldand that makes it all the more painfull to see them perform as Bangladesh weaker brother these Ashes
the Ashes deserve more

__________________“Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe.”
~Frank Zappa